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Buffalo Bills could face contract issues in 2024 season with key starter

TheoJuly 2, 2024

The Buffalo Bills could face more contract issues before next March, according to a source close to the team. The Bills had to part ways with several key players this offseason in order to free up salary cap space ahead of free agency. They also traded wide receiver Stefon Diggs in an effort to save money and become less selfish in 2024.

Buffalo Bills lose key offensive players due to lack of salary cap space

The Bills’ offense will be different without Diggs. It will also be different without Mitch Morse and Ryan Bates, two key offensive linemen. Tim Graham with The Athletic wrote about another offensive lineman the Bills could lose before the 2025 season.

Spencer Brown is in the final year of his rookie contract

Graham believes the Bills have a big decision to make regarding offensive tackle Spencer Brown. He named Brown as a player to watch this season:

One of the few question marks heading into last season was whether the 2021 third-round pick could deliver after a rough sophomore campaign. Brown responded with authority, playing every one of Buffalo’s 1,305 snaps. Pro Football Focus graded him for just two more pressures than Pro Bowl left tackle Dion Dawkins.

Brown is now entering the final year of his rookie contract. The Bills will have significant cap space next year after receiver Stefon Diggs frees up his dead capital, but they can save a lot by extending Brown in the coming months and not letting him get close enough to free agency to attract interest on the open market.

Brown is in the same boat as Teven Jenkins

Brown’s situation is reminiscent of the Chicago Bears’ Teven Jenkins contract. Jenkins is one of the Bears’ best offensive linemen when healthy, but he’s struggled to stay on the field over his first three seasons. The Bears would save millions by extending Jenkins this offseason.

The Bears have yet to reach out to Jenkins to extend the offensive leader’s contract. They want to see if he can stay healthy this season. One would assume the Bills would do the same with Brown. The money the Bills would save by extending Brown now isn’t worth the risk after just one healthy season in Buffalo.